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HISTORY Today’s West Marine, Inc., was born in 1968 as a mail-order rope business called West Coast Ropes, run out of the Sunnyvale, CA.. garage of Randy Repass, founder and current chairman of the board of directors. In the early days, the only product offered was three-strand nylon rope. The first retail store, stocking a small selection of basic boat supplies, opened in Palo Alto, CA. in 1975. In 1978, West Marine introduced a wholesale division, Port Supply, to serve boat yards, charter fleets, boat dealers and government accounts directly. To better represent West Marine’s growing product offerings and to help reach a far-reaching customer base, the company launched its first 300-page Master Catalog in 1987. Today, the catalog has tripled in size and features vast product offerings. After expanding to the East Coast in the early 1990s, West Marine, Inc., went public (NASDAQ: WMAR) in 1993. The company merged with E&B Marine in 1996 and the resulting expansion of offerings helped target powerboaters with small, trailerable boats. In 2003, West Marine acquired long-time competitor, BoatU.S. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT West Marine also endeavors to conduct its daily business in a way that respects and cares for the environment. The Company has taken steps to reduce its own impact on the environment through companywide conservation efforts. In addition, West Marine provides grants to nonprofit organizations that work toward the preservation and protection of the marine environment and its inhabitants. The primary areas of focus are pollution prevention, preserving fisheries and recreational fishing rights, educating the public on environmental issues and restoring and protecting coral reefs.
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Contact: Sam Curley Laurie Fried |